Cold Weather Integration issue?

[NHMountainMan]

I have 3 RSL that are about 5 months old and laying. Several weeks ago I sought advice on integrating 5 pullets that were gifted to me. They are SLW, GLW, EE, Whiting true blue and Whiting true green and are about 3 months old. With your advice, I allowed them to range together, and the younger pullets eventually left their grow out pen and follow the big girls back to the full run and coop.

Every day, I open the door to the run at 7 am and close it at 7pm. Over the past few days, 3 or 4 of the younger pullets have roosted in the run - not going into the coop. I haven't seen any bullying - the older pullets may push them away from one feeder, but they have multiple places to eat and drink, and there's nothing I think that would be outside pecking order stuff - but I'm a rookie.

Last night, the EE,SLW,GLW and WTB stayed on the outdoor roosting bar in the enclosed run, with a roof, but no protection from the wind. It was 35F, with winds hitting 40 mph - a wind chill around 20 degrees.

Should I care - let them figure it out, or should I move them into the coop's roosting area?

The background and advice is in the attached link (I think....)
Thanks as always.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/advice-needed-on-integration-plan-options.1332703/

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

I'm no expert, but if it were my birds I would put them in the coop at night. Are there roosting bars inside the coop? My BR pullets really love to roost just about anywhere.

 

[NHMountainMan]

there’s plenty of roosting space. The coop should hold 12 birds. 4ft /bird at 48sqft total. i have 20 linear feet of roosting bars.

One thought triggered by @WeeFarmerSarah is that the RSLs roost on the bar closest to the ramp. Maybe the younger ones don’t want to go past them?

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

there’s plenty of roosting space. The coop should hold 12 birds. 4ft /bird at 48sqft total. i have 20 linear feet of roosting bars.

One thought triggered by @WeeFarmerSarah is that the RSLs roost on the bar closest to the ramp. Maybe the younger ones don’t want to go past them?

Hard to tell. Just put them into the coop and on the roost at night to make sure they understand that's where they are supposed to be. They'll get the message after awhile.

 

[chickens really]

I'd be putting them in each night. They need to know the proper place to Roost..

 

[FortCluck]

I would put them in when you go shut the door at night. It might just be because they are new and they don't exactly know that they need to go in there. I know that a few of mine it took a while for them to get the hang of going into the coop at night and some of them would want to sleep outside. I would just carry them into the coop at night so that they would know that's where they need to be.

Mine have a specific order that they go into the coop every night. They all line up and go in one by one and the rooster stands at the door and make sure that nobody is out of order, it is the funniest thing ever. The rooster almost acts like a bouncer and pecks the bird that is out of order and then they get back to where they should be.

 

[Ridgerunner]

When I'm in that situation I wait until dark when they are easier to catch and toss them in the coop on the coop floor every night until they learn to go in on their own. I don't care where they sleep as long as it is not in my nests and is in the coop. They figure out where they will be the most comfortable in there until they mature enough to join the older ones n the main roosts.

 

[FortCluck]

When I'm in that situation I wait until dark when they are easier to catch and toss them in the coop on the coop floor every night until they learn to go in on their own. I don't care where they sleep as long as it is not in my nests and is in the coop. They figure out where they will be the most comfortable in there until they mature enough to join the older ones n the main roosts.

Mine still sleep on the floor!

 

[Mrs. K]

I agree toss them in there. Let them figure it out.

Might do this: depending on your set up, use a large piece of cardboard, and some duct tape, to create a barrier breaking the roost into two parts. And two parts such that if you are on one part, you can't see who is on the other part.

But really, I am more with Ridgerunner- stick them in there, and let them figure it out.

Mrs K

 

[NHMountainMan]

I would put them in when you go shut the door at night. It might just be because they are new and they don't exactly know that they need to go in there. I know that a few of mine it took a while for them to get the hang of going into the coop at night and some of them would want to sleep outside. I would just carry them into the coop at night so that they would know that's where they need to be.

Mine have a specific order that they go into the coop every night. They all line up and go in one by one and the rooster stands at the door and make sure that nobody is out of order, it is the funniest thing ever. The rooster almost acts like a bouncer and pecks the bird that is out of order and then they get back to where they should be.

I would put them in when you go shut the door at night. It might just be because they are new and they don't exactly know that they need to go in there. I know that a few of mine it took a while for them to get the hang of going into the coop at night and some of them would want to sleep outside. I would just carry them into the coop at night so that they would know that's where they need to be.

Mine have a specific order that they go into the coop every night. They all line up and go in one by one and the rooster stands at the door and make sure that nobody is out of order, it is the funniest thing ever. The rooster almost acts like a bouncer and pecks the bird that is out of order and then they get back to where they should be.

That would be very cool to see!